I totally get what you mean about “good enough” being the best you can hope for with old fixtures.
I get the appeal of just swapping in a cheap new shower head, but I’m always a little wary of the super budget ones. Had one crack on me after a couple months—ended up with water spraying out the side and making a mess. Sometimes it feels like fixing up the old one is less risky, even if it’s a pain. I guess it depends how much you trust your plumbing luck...
Had the same thing happen when I first moved in—grabbed a cheap shower head thinking it’d be a quick fix, but it started leaking around the seam after a few weeks. Ended up with water spraying everywhere but where I needed it. After that, I just cleaned up the old one and replaced the washer. Not perfect, but at least it didn’t flood the bathroom. Sometimes the “quick fix” just isn’t worth the hassle...
I’ve seen that happen more times than I can count—those bargain shower heads are basically a gamble. Sometimes they work, but more often you end up with a bathroom that looks like it’s hosting a water show. Honestly, just swapping out the washer or giving the old head a vinegar soak can do wonders. Not glamorous, but at least you’re not mopping up puddles every morning. Quick fixes are tempting, but they rarely last...
Honestly, just swapping out the washer or giving the old head a vinegar soak can do wonders.
That’s solid advice. Nine times out of ten, buildup or a worn washer is the culprit. Quick fixes are fine for a pinch, but if you want it to last, take the head apart and check for cracks or mineral deposits. Sometimes those bargain models just aren’t worth the hassle in the long run.
I get what you’re saying about taking the head apart, but honestly, sometimes it’s just not worth the hassle if the thing’s already cheap or ancient. I’ve tried cleaning and swapping parts on a couple of those bargain shower heads and ended up wasting more time than if I’d just replaced the whole thing. Not to mention, some of those plastic threads strip out if you even look at them funny.
That being said, I’ve had a stubborn one before where vinegar soaks and new washers did nothing—turned out there was a tiny crack inside the head itself. At that point, I just grabbed a mid-range replacement and haven’t looked back. Sometimes you gotta know when to call it quits and upgrade, especially if you value your sanity during morning showers...
